Measure water accurately. You probably should know that a "cup", in drip-coffeemakers terms, typically measures 5 oz (a 10-cup coffee maker, for example, will need 50 oz of water).
Measure coffee grounds. The volume of ground coffee will differ between light and dark roasts, with the latter weighing less, and though the best way to measure accurately would be to weigh the ground coffee, most will find it adequate to use a measuring scoop. Measure:
7 grams or 0.25 oz (about 2 tbs) per dose of dark roasts such as espresso
7 grams or 0.25 oz (about 1-1/2 tbs) per cup of lighter roasts for a light taste
10 grams or 0.35 oz (about 2 tbs) per cup of lighter roasts for a fuller bodied taste.
Experiment with different quantities of coffee until you find a measure that tastes best to you, then remain consistent when measuring the water and coffee grounds.
As for storage, keep the beans or ground coffee in an airtight container, away from heat sources. If the store coffee bag is not airtight, transfer the coffee to a container that is.
Find more information in our Coffee Tutorial.